Jonathan urges Nigerians to pray for peace

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday called on Nigerians to pray and work toward the nation’s unity, as Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Fitr.

Jonathan made the call in Abuja while playing host to a delegation of former Peoples Democratic Party ministers.

The immediate past president said that no nation’s economy could grow where there was no peace.

“We should always use this period to know that the unity of the country is paramount.

“We cannot develop as a nation; no matter how people demonstrate, and no president can do magic, if there is tension in the land.

“This is because, immediately there is a sense of insecurity in any country, investors will go back and when investors go back, of course, the economy will dwindle.

“What improves the economy is confidence and what makes investors to have confidence is peace.

“Nobody wants to invest where there is no peace, except those that invest in arms and ammunition.

“We should all pray and work toward peace, that is the only way we can grow our economy,” Jonathan said.

He also commended the former ministers for finding time to celebrate Sallah with his family.

The former president said that he was elated to see the former ministers coming together under a unique platform called PDP Ministers Forum.

“We should begin to reduce the cleavages and fault lines and form a political body that will look at things with national interest,” Jonathan said.

He, however, congratulated Muslims in the country for the successful completion of Ramadan fasting and the Sallah celebration.

In his remarks, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, the chairman of the forum, said that the delegation comprises former ministers from 1999 to 2015.

Turaki said that the visit was to avail them the opportunity to share with Jonathan issues of national interest.

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